Dragon
by Shinisin
Summary: A/U. After Vegeta's refusal to live with Bulma his life has taken a different path, as the gang are soon going to find out...


Dragon Unknown Normal Bern 2 0 2001-11-07T15:31:00Z 2001-11-07T15:31:00Z 3 1206 6877 PVD 57 13 8445 9.3821 0 6 pt 6 pt 0 

**Dragon******

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Disclaimer: I own no one, and nothing, except for Ygraddsil, the creature in the cage and the alien gambler.

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**Chapter One**

As the present Z warriors looked on in amazement at what had suddenly appeared in the arena, Bulma's mind sling-shotted back to the last time she had seen the face of the person who stood, still short, arms ever folded across his chest and his face, scowling in the face of what could be his death.

            * "_Vegeta! If you don't stop training and come to dinner RIGHT NOW, I'll turn off the gravity machine room and you'll be sleeping in it for the rest of the week."_

_            She had been shocked, as after the first three minutes of silence he had stormed out of the room, blowing the door of its hinges in the process._

_            "WOMAN!! I don't know what on this miserable planet makes you think that I am incapable of fending for myself but your pathetic threats of shutting down this stupid machine have finally worn out."_

_            He had glowed blue, and she had been afraid. He was a dangerously unpredictable person, and at that moment she could see it in his eyes, that look that showed the part of his soul that allowed him to kill others carelessly, the part that let him massacre planets. The, just as suddenly, he powered down._

_            "I am finally my own person, after so long. So I am going to make the most of it." *_

            With that last cryptic message he had left, taking the ship that Goku had used to get back home from Yardrat. That had been the last time she had seen the proud prince until now.

            He hadn't changed a bit. He still had the same flame like ebony hair, almost a physical representation of the fiery spirit that burnt inside him. He scowled, as emotionless as ever, unconcerned about the screams of the crowd as his challenger stepped out. He was still diminutive in size, and relatively slim, not as bulky as either Goku or Yamcha and definitely not his opponent, against whom his small stature was greatly emphasised.

            He still radiated an air of arrogance and aggression, standing rigid with his arms crossed. Still cold and unapproachable.

            Goku, too, had seen the Prince and was also studying him. However, he could see the little details that Bulma couldn't, as he had superior sight.

            Vegeta looked exhausted. He swayed slightly, almost imperceptively on his feet, he had dark shadows under feverishly bright eyes and he was paler than he had been. He seemed thinner and what Goku could feel of his ki was low. He had a flat, dead look to him that worried Goku. That look showed that somehow, somewhere along his travels, Vegeta had died inside. Not even Frieza had extinguished the spark in Vegeta that pushed him to keep fighting but now it seemed that he had given up totally.

            Sensing a strange 'non-power' coming from the direction of Vegeta's foot, he looked down. The thing had an almost… negative power level. Not even something dead should feel like that. It was like a great big hole cut into the fretwork of ki and it sucked in the ki nearby it, like a black hole. He saw a thin metal band around Vegeta's ankle, the skin around which looked red and sore, rubbed raw.

            Whatever it was, it wasn't there by choice.

Goku decided that there was definitely something wrong here.

            Yamcha had been shocked when he recognised the short warrior standing impatiently in the middle of the arena, but that was nothing compared to the tremor of fear and awe that ran down his spine as he saw what next stepped out into the ring from the opposite side.

            A monster of an alien, much larger than Nappa had been, stepped out of another doorway cut into the side of the ring. The crowd went wild! The alien raised its arms above it's large dog-like head like a champion and waved to the crowd. They screamed louder. It turned around; showing off its well built and muscle bound body. It had a lion-like tail that swung back and forth and large clawed feet and hands. Its cycloptic one eye glittered bright green against its chocolate brown fur.

            Vegeta stood motionless. Yamcha shuddered. This was going to be quite a match.

            The small alien looked impossibly weak against the behemoth that confronted it. Ygraddsil was one of the champion fighters in the ring, and the tiny alien confronting it had reportedly gotten this far through sheer luck. Ygraddsil was a surprisingly speedy and agile mover for his size. As well as this, he had a hefty power level and could use ki attacks quite well. Bets were being placed and Ygraddsil was the favourite. Everyone was sure that Vegeta was going to lose. Except for a small few. Some of them had watched the previous matches, had witnessed the skill and power that the ill-favoured warrior manipulated and had decided that maybe he hadn't gotten this far through sheer luck only.

            Some of them always betted on the fighter less likely to win, especially against such a well-known opponent, as it was almost too obvious (to them at least) that the fighter that looked as if he was going to lose would win.

            Yet again, there was one man who had the inside information on this fight and was _sure that Vegeta was going to win. He rapped on a cage that hung next to him and laughed as its occupant cursed at him._

            "Oh, don't be so worried my friend." he said mockingly. "My little champion won't lose this fight. He wouldn't want anything to happen to his pet now would he?"

            The creature inside the cage hissed at him through the bindings around its jaws. It knew itself that normally, the Prince would have no difficulty taking down such a mediocre fighter… but after so long fighting and such poor living conditions, as well as the sickness that had the creature's friend in it's grips, it wasn't sure that the outcome of this fight would be anything like the predictions of the cruel man sitting next to it. _It had to get out!!!_

            The fight started less than a second after the signal went. Before the alien had had a chance to lower it's arms, Vegeta had sprung into action, firing a ki blast point-blank into the things stomach. As it doubled over in pain, Vegeta leapt up and drove his fists into the top of its head.

            The fight progressed with acceleration and frenzy. Vegeta had the upper hand in the beginning, but the monster recovered its equilibrium faster than Vegeta had expected, and was now fighting back in earnest. They were almost an equal match in power and skill, until Vegeta began to show signs of tiring.

            Goku watched the fast-paced fight with interest and a little worry, which only increased as the fight went on. Vegeta was now struggling to power up as much as he could, but the object around his ankle wasn't letting him do that. It was as if every burst of ki that Vegeta produced fed the thing. In the meantime, Ygraddsil was still fresh and in good form and he had hardly had to use his power. Goku continued watching with a feeling of foreboding. By now Vegeta was being beaten up and tossed around like a ragdoll. Goku decided that if the fight wasn't called off soon, then he would have to do something about it, or this might become Vegeta's last battle.

            The small creature in the cage screamed and screeched shrilly in rage as it watched the Saiyan in the ring slowly being beaten to death. Next to it, the alien who had caged it was beating on the arms of his chair with his fists.

            "He shouldn't be losing like this!" he yelled. "What's going on out there? I thought this guy was one of the best! Do you know how much money I put on this fight? It's going to be my head if that guy loses! Oh, will you shut up!"

            This last comment was directed to the caged creature, who finally had enough. The broken and weary Saiyan Prince in the ring gave a last telepathic farewell and collapsed.

            And then, just as what appeared to be a bright star entered the ring, the dragon burst free from her prison and sped, burning through the air, to protect her friend.

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This started out as an idea and it has matured into this. I have no idea what to expect, so it should be a fun journey for all of us. :)


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